As Manassas inches toward its first commercial passenger flights, city leaders are getting ready to argue over something that will be on every ticket, every ad and every airport sign: what to call the place.
Manassas City Council is set to consider a new name for Manassas Regional Airport this week, a change tied directly to the city’s push to carve out a spot in the crowded Washington-area air travel market. The airport commission has already teed up a short list that leans hard into the D.C. brand, and the airport’s private operator is all in on that strategy.
Commission Picks Three 'Washington' Options
The Manassas Regional Airport Commission voted in December to submit three possible new names to the City Council: "Washington Manassas Airport," "Washington Manassas National Airport," and "Washington Manassas Regional Airport." The motion passed 7-2, according to the Manassas Regional Airport Commission.
Commissioners framed the trio of options as a way to highlight the field’s role in the greater D.C. market while still signaling its Manassas roots. In a region already juggling multiple commercial airports, they argued that putting "Washington" in the name is less about civic pride and more about survival in airline route maps and booking engines.
Avports Pushes 'Washington' While City Lawyer Flags 'National'
The airport’s operator, Avports, told the council in a letter that "Washington Manassas Airport" would "more accurately position HEF within the competitive airport marketplace," according to WTOP. In other words, if airlines and passengers are browsing for Washington-area options, Avports wants Manassas to pop up in the mix.
The city attorney has poured cold water on at least one of the commission’s ideas, advising against the "National" label because of its similarity to Reagan National (DCA), the outlet reported. Officials and the operator have been careful to pitch the rename as a practical airline-marketing move, not an attempt to erase Manassas from the marquee.
Marketing, FAA Steps and the HEF Code
The branding debate is unfolding alongside a broader push to secure federal approvals for commercial flights. Avports and city staff are coordinating FAA inspections, terminal upgrades and security work needed to shift the airport from general aviation to commercial service, according to an update from Avports.
Whatever name ends up on the signs, the airport will still fly under the FAA location identifier HEF, which is separate from any public-facing brand. That code will remain in place on aviation charts and records, as shown on SkyVector.
What's Next
The City Council is scheduled to take up the proposed names at its Wednesday meeting. Any decision would kick off a slow, unglamorous rollout of changes to signage, contracts and marketing materials, even as work continues behind the scenes to get commercial service off the ground.
The airport's commercialization timeline has already been pushed back, and officials now expect the first scheduled passenger flights in spring 2027, according to WTOP. Residents can track the naming debate and other airport business through meeting agendas, packets and viewing options on the city's meeting center page at Manassas Meetings & Agendas.
A Bit Of History
The airfield opened in 1932 as Manassas Municipal Airport and has long catered to Virginia's general-aviation community, according to the city's planning documents. The current push to bring in scheduled carriers traces back to a 2023 franchise agreement with Avports, along with more than two years of planning, FAA filings and infrastructure work aimed at turning a local airfield into a regional player.
